


Weight and Words

by Coolcat101s



Series: Linguistic au oneshots [3]
Category: Invader Zim
Genre: Alien Cultural Differences, Alien Culture, Ambiguous Relationship, Gen, Gir is only mentioned, alien linguisitics, implied past institutionalization, no beta we die like men, preslash, touch starved Zim, touch starved dib, weighted blankets
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-24
Updated: 2020-03-24
Packaged: 2021-02-28 17:48:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 663
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23291194
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Coolcat101s/pseuds/Coolcat101s
Summary: Zim is touch starved.Another work based off of tumblr user @xryn-art ‘s iz linguistics au.
Relationships: Dib & Zim (Invader Zim)
Series: Linguistic au oneshots [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1674988
Comments: 2
Kudos: 54





	Weight and Words

**Author's Note:**

> They mentioned Zim is touch starved in a response and asdgfkrhsgw I love one touch starved Bug 
> 
> Also I just got a weighted blanket recently and It’s helped so much with my anxiety, and it helps when I’m feeling a bit touch starved. All of that inspired me a bit.  
> I hope you all are staying safe in this plague.

The Dib-creature has been doing quite well in his Irken lessons, far better then Gir, though the tiny robot is slowly making progress in his own way. We are working on written Irken now, and Dib-stinks handwriting is terrible! He would have been made to run laps if he had turned these in back in the academy. A grin overtakes my face as I remember just how superior I am to the pathetic worm baby.

“Hey Zim? Does Irken have capitalization?”

“Does it what now? “

“Capitalization? How does tour language show the start of a sentence or which words are proper nouns?” 

“Eeeeeeh... The start is after the last sentence ends?? And proper nouns are identified by either context or suffixes.”

“I suppose that makes sense, also explains why you text in all caps, I thought you just yelling like you do.”

“ZIM DOES NOT YELL.” 

The Dib-beast gives me a look, probably because I just yelled, but that’s what he gets for lying! I wouldn’t have to yell if his Lies weren’t so Loud!

“Anyways.. I’ve also noticed that the spelling in Irken is off, the language is strikingly similar to English but the spelling is all over the place” the Dib-fiend leans close. I can feel every point of contact, it tingles. It burns. I push him down and scream.

“Zim?! What the fuck was that for??” 

“For touching Zim!! Do not touch me?! Your future overlord! How dare you!” My antenna are pressed close to my skull, and there is a growl in my tone.

“I- was I? I guess I leaned in to point out the spelling but I didn’t notice..” 

This worthless pig does he except me to believe such an obvious lie?

“How can you just not feel a touch? With all the tingling and the burning, cease your lies you.. you!! Dib-liar!!”

“Tingles... dude that just sounds like your touch starved.” At this the Dib-creature sat up, opting to stay on the floor at a safe distance.

“Touch what?” 

“Touch starved, it’s a thing where like, humans and other social animals need touch for like emotional and mental development I think? I don’t know much of the psychology but I‘be received treatments for it when I was young.“ 

“Irkens are beyond such trivial and primitive feelings.” 

“Okay fine, then I won’t give you one of my weighted blankets then space bug.”

“A what now?”

“A weighted blanket, gives the affect of touch without the messy bit of interacting with another person. With extended use it can get rid of he tingling feeling that you get when you’re touched.”

That, sounds amazing. I can’t even imagine a life where it’s possible to not notice a touch. But Irkens are beyond such needs! But it would be so useful! Think of the mission (think of how nice it would be) imagine what could be done if I didn’t worry about touch as much! I need an excuse.

“Zim accepts your offering Dib-creature. But!! Not because I need it or anything!! It is... um that ... as your future ruler, giving me offerings might make me spare your life when I take over the planet... if you learn Irken you will make an excellent slave, or maybe a pet!”

“Pfft, like I’d let that happen space boy! You have to get through me before any of that! But yeah I can totally bring it over after school tomorrow.” 

I simmer down with the change of topic, we’ve been doing that a lot recently. We shift between rivalry to familiarity so quickly.

“Of course, you may present your offering tomorrow before your lessons-“ A wide sadistic grin breaks over my face “and I expect an elaborate production so be prepared.”

Dib-human holds my gaze for several moments, our stares were hard, but then Dib started to laugh. For some reason I’m not angry at his laughter like I usually am. It’s nice, I almost want to join in.  
But.  
The mission.


End file.
